XStream Software Launches RapidBuilder® v4.0 Deluxe
New release of RapidBuilder features support for Auto Instructions, XML-based Simulations, Custom Playback Controls, Language Customization, and much more.
OTTAWA, Canada, September 30, 2005 - XStream Software Inc., a leading provider of advanced software technologies for E-Learning, Multimedia Content Authoring, Administration/Tracking, and Web-based Communication and Collaboration, has released RapidBuilder v4.0 Deluxe , a major new release of XStream's 100% programming-free simulation/course authoring technology. RapidBuilder v4.0 Deluxe provides a large variety of new features to further enrich and enhance the simulation capturing and content authoring capabilities of the technology.
Key features available in RapidBuilder v4.0 Deluxe include the following:
- Auto Text Captions/Instructions - RapidBuilder enables developers to automatically generate text captions/instructions for the user actions recorded during capturing. Developers can use RapidBuilder's default automatic instruction generation options or customize a large variety of options to control the display of the automatic instructions.
- Export to XML Format - Developers may save and deploy simulation files in .XML format, which is a standard, common, and consistent file format for sharing and accessing information over the Internet. An XML-based simulation may be played over the web without loading a separate plug-in.
- Customizable Playback Controls - Within a RapidBuilder file, the developer may add and customize various types of playback controls (i.e., Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop/Exit, First Frame, and/or Last Frame). The developer may also add customized slider controls, which enable users to quickly navigate to a desired frame within the file and also provide progress indication (similar to the slider functionality available within applications such as Windows Media Player). Thus end users can be given maximum flexibility and control over the playback of the file.
- Playback Language Customization - RapidBuilder provides the capability to translate built-in player text and system-related text strings from default English into any desired language. The translated text strings are saved to a language file, which may then be imported into RapidBuilder and applied to any file. During playback of the file, the selected, translated text strings (which were applied from the language file and stored in the RapidBuilder file) are displayed as appropriate.
- Internal Variables - Predefined variables can be used within various RapidBuilder objects/elements (including text fields and buttons) to dynamically display system information to the end user during playback, including current frame number, current frame name, and total number of frames in the file.
- User-Defined Variables - The developer may define custom variables for text entry fields. During playback, when a user enters a value into a text entry field configured to set a variable, the variable name will be dynamically assigned the value entered by the user. User-defined variables can be used as part of various objects available in RapidBuilder, including text fields and buttons. At runtime, the system will dynamically replace these variables with the appropriate value entered by the user. This capability is useful for dynamically collecting and displaying user-specific information throughout the playback of a RapidBuilder file.
- Export to Word Enhancements - RapidBuilder's "Export to Microsoft Word" capability has been enhanced with a whole new set of options, including capabilities to include/exclude specific objects from exporting, define page margin and header/footer settings, define which types of frames/screens will be exported, specify that hotwords and thumbnail notes will be exported, and more. Developers can also export to Word using pre-defined Word Templates that have been created.
- Option to Release Mouse Pointer During Playback - The developer may specify that the system mouse pointer will be automatically released during playback and given to the user to move the mouse pointer anywhere the user wants on the screen.
- Customization Options for "Capture User Actions Only" Simulation Files - For simulations recorded using the "Capture User Actions Only" setting, the system automatically displays default mouse animations between the captured frames during playback. However, the developer now has the option of disabling this automatic mouse movement. In addition, if the developer chooses to have the automatic mouse movement enabled, the developer may also define the speed at which the mouse animations will occur on the screen.
- Playback Security Options - The Print Screen key may be disabled during playback, which prevents end users from taking unauthorized snapshots of simulation content. The simulation may be configured to fill the entire screen area during playback, which prevents any distractions from other screen areas. Task switching may be disabled during playback, which prevents the end user from using the mouse or keys to switch to another task or program window.
- Automatic File/URL Launching Upon Exit - The developer may specify an external file (i.e., RapidBuilder file, RapidExam file, Performance Analyzer file, or another type of external file) or web page that will be automatically launched when the end user exits the simulation.
- Tabbing Between Validation Fields - The developer may specify the capability to move the cursor/focus from one Validation Field to another (on the same frame) upon pressing specific action keys in a Validation Field. This functionality enables developers to emulate the true form-based navigation capability available in many applications today.
- New Validation Field Action Types - The Validation Field includes a couple of new action types for invoking specified events. The "On Focus Lost" action enables an event to be performed if a user moves away from a Validation Field they were on and the value entered has not validated correctly or they have not filled in a field. The "On Exact String" action enables an event to be performed as soon as the user enters the last character of the required text string.
- Hyperlink Button Enhancements - The Hyperlink button object includes several new features/capabilities, including support for rollover images, the ability to designate the Hyperlink as a non-wait object (meaning that the Hyperlink will not cause playback to pause for user intervention), the ability to trigger navigation events and other types of events by placing the mouse pointer over the Hyperlink or taking the mouse pointer off of the Hyperlink, the ability to simultaneously validate multiple Validation Fields on the frame by clicking a single Hyperlink button, support for Hyperlink attempt/hint messages, and more.
- Customize Mouse Animation Speed - For the Mouse Plot object (as well as the automatic mouse animation that may be optionally shown between captured frames recorded with the "Capture User Actions Only" setting), the developer has the flexibility to define the speed at which the mouse animation will occur on the screen.
- Auto Scrolling - For the Text Field, Instruction Box, Radio Button, and Check Box objects, the developer may specify that a scroll bar will automatically appear during playback if the text content exceeds the vertical height of the object.
- Alignment Settings for Radio Button & Check Box - For the Radio Button and Check Box objects, there are new text alignment and button alignment properties for finer control of the caption text and selection buttons.
- Custom Dictionary for Spell Checker - The developer can now store new words that are not part of the built-in dictionary within a custom dictionary file. The developer can add words to the custom dictionary file from the Spell Checker dialog box or by directly editing the custom dictionary file using any text editor.
- Find/Replace Text - A standard Find/Replace text-searching feature enables the developer to quickly find and optionally replace any text within the RapidBuilder file.
- And more.
"The evolution of the RapidBuilder technology since its initial release has been truly remarkable, and the new features in version 4 provide ample evidence that this evolution has continued and grown in sophistication," says Sunil K. Sethi , XStream's President and CEO . "As always, the fuel that powers this creative development is feedback from our valued clients, and it has resulted in the most advanced and feature-rich release of RapidBuilder yet."
"Reducing development time and decreasing the production cycle are increasingly high priorities for users and teams engaged in fast-paced simulation and content development," adds Mahendra K. Agrawal , XStream's Vice President of Technology . "With its continuous capturing capability and extensive drag-and-drop edit suite, RapidBuilder has long been the ideal technology to meet these challenges. In version 4, the availability of new features such as auto text captions and custom playback controls means that development time is shorter than ever."
About XStream
XStream Software Inc., a 6x brandon-hall.com award winner and a winner of several other prestigious awards, is an ISO-certified software/hardware development, services and sales organization. The company specializes in the research, design, development, marketing, sales and distribution of world class knowledge transfer (KT) products and services, which encompass (but are not limited to) e-Learning, communication and collaboration, learning management, content and media management, and advanced sharing and exchange infrastructure. Related professional services offered by XStream include instructional design, content development, training delivery (both instructor led and web-based), systems implementation, mentoring and facilitation, and more. In addition, XStream offers technology transfer (TT) and design services encompassing blended sourcing services in the areas of research, design, development and implementation of custom hardware/software and embedded systems technologies. XStream has a base of 2,500+ corporate clients that use its products and services in small, mid-size, and large implementations spanning such industry domains as finance, banking and insurance, manufacturing, high technology, government and the military, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, utilities, retail and food services, as well as professional associations in multiple sectors.
To learn more, please visit www.xstreamsoftware.com or call 613-731-9443, or send an e-mail to info@xstreamsoftware.com.
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